{"id":24,"date":"2022-09-17T16:16:37","date_gmt":"2022-09-17T16:16:37","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/gammonrants.org\/?page_id=24"},"modified":"2024-07-05T11:58:31","modified_gmt":"2024-07-05T11:58:31","slug":"reviews","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/gammonrants.org\/index.php\/reviews\/","title":{"rendered":"Reviews – the best iOS backgammon apps"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Looking for the perfect backgammon app for you? Maybe my extensive reviews help you decide. Apps are sorted roughly by AI strength<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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This is the strongest backgammon app on the app store. It makes 5 times less mistakes than the best human player on this planet. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Not perfect UI-wise, but a great choice, if you want to spend a few bucks.<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n

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True Backgammon HD<\/a> has got it all: a wonderful UI that is as close to a real board as it gets, a powerful engine that beats every human on this planet, and great tutoring and analysis options. This is the app I play 90% of my matches against.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

As all top apps, it\u2019s not free.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Backgammon NJ<\/a> was one of the first apps on Google Play and on the App store that features a superhumanly strong AI. It is still a serious contender for the top spot.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Costs a few bucks, though.<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n

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Hardwood Backgammon<\/a> plays a strong game (low world class \/ high expert level), features beautiful boards (that you can spend dozens of bucks for in in-app purchases), multiplayer, and is a lot of fun to play against.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Doesn’t have a tutor, doesn’t save properly when leaving your match. Annoying automatic “you have 5 secs to consider whether your move is fine, then I will auto-move it” feature. These issues drag it down a bit.<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n

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Backgammon Machine<\/a> is free (no ads, no in-app, no nothing), incredibly beautifully designed, fairly strong, but plays only 1pt matches, which is a bit boring, if you’re used to the intricacies of cube and match play.<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n

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Backgammon+ \/ Backgammon Classic Board Live<\/a> is a beautiful backgammon with an okay playing strength and good online play. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

If only it would have a tutor that helps you improve your skills and a proper doubling cube in multiplayer.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Free, $2 to remove ads.<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n

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Backgammon – offline by SNG CT<\/a> – a nice app to play money games against, with some really creative ideas to get you to watch ad videos…<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n

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The Backgammon<\/a> by UNBALANCE – nice presentation, weakly AI, fun \u201dchallenge mode\u201d<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n

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Backgammon 3D<\/a> – beautiful graphics coupled with a beginner-level engine and a missing cube don’t quite add up to a great app.<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n

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Backgammon HD by WildCard<\/a> – nicely designed board, well-featured, but unfortunately offering an AI that will challenge only beginners, not worth the $5 the devs ask for it.<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n

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Backgammon Elite<\/a> looks nice but can’t play backgammon well enough to deserve your time.<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n

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Backgammon Pro<\/a> features a nice board, is capable of full match play, but disappoints with an AI that plays on “distracted” level at its strongest setting. Which is really, really not strong. Costs \u20ac2 as well. There are better ones.<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n

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Backgammon Coach<\/a> Bases on Gnu Backgammon, plays on superhuman level, can be a lot of fun, but is very buggy and in French only. And it costs \u20ac10, which an app with a Gnu Licensed core must not do, so it’s basically illegal of the author to charge for it. This is why it’s not up where the strong apps are but down here.<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n

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Short reviews<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Reviews of apps I don\u2018t find relevant enough for a long review.<\/p>\n\n\n\n